When Grace Falls
by Crimson Tulip
Summary: When Grace and her dog, Maya, stumble upon a group hidden in the woods, she sees this as an opportunity to keep surviving, what she didn't expect was to fall for the rugged hunter with a cross bow, but will she give into her feelings, even when shes greiving the loss of her loved ones? I know, I'm really bad at summaries. Daryl/OC
1. Chapter 1

**_Disclaimer:- I, unfortuantly, do NOT own The Walking Dead... Yet._**

My breath was coming in fast pants and my boots slapped against the dirty ground as I desperately tried to run from sound of hungry moans that were approaching. I knew why so many of them were heading in my direction, it was because of the idiot driving a car when its alarm was going off, that idiot was going to get me killed and I didn't even know if Maya was okay, I'd sent her to run ahead of me because I wouldn't be able to lift her in the tree with me.

But the same thoughts were racing through my head, what if I could manage to find them? What if there were others? I'd have more chance of surviving if I wasn't alone and Maya wouldn't have to starve, all I'd managed to grab before I hauled out of my house was a crowbar and a bag of clothes with some granola bars and two tins of dog food, I don't have any hunting skills to catch my food or know how to shoot a gun if I had one. I honestly didn't know how I was still alive, I just hid in trees, Maya in bushes or she'd run ahead and I'd wait for the lingering infected to pass but this time there was just too many and too little time to climb one and the sound drew a hell of a lot more than usual even though the noise echoed through the mountains, pretty much impossible to pinpoint unless you were close by, and the infected happened to catch my scent passing through. But a group could help me survive, I craved so much for human interaction and I knew it was only a matter of time till I went crazy if I kept talking to a dog, so with that in mind I pushed my already sprinting pace faster. I let out a hysterical laugh of relief as I heard the noise become closer and the sound of yelling reached my ears and it was as good as music.

Almost there, I could feel my legs beginning to get numb. Where was Maya, she should of heard them and went there way. she knew the differnce between moans and actualy talking, I hope she didn't get eaten, she was the only thing I had left.

''No, no, no, no, don't do this now, I'm so close'' I sobbed, my legs felt wobbily like jelly and I was sure they were going to collapse from under me. I was starving and exhausted, that alone was a deadly combination, add running faster than you've ever ran in your life, which was something consideration I used to run cross country in high school and was still a hobby of mine. I could faintly make out figures through the trees and I knew I wasn't going to make it as dots danced in my vision, so as I collapsed I let out a ear-piercing scream, hoping they'd get to me before the infected did.

''Hey, hey, wake up'' I heard a voice say. Groaning, I turned onto my other side.

''Mom, I'm too tired a don't wanna get up yet'' I mumbled into the mattress. Slowly, I rememebered that I wasn't at home and I didn't know where my parents were or my sister and that I was still stuck in this hell. I spun onto my back as I sat up to see an old man that had a sad, concerned look on his face.

''I'm Dale, we found you unconcious after letting out that scream'' He said.

''We? How many are you?'' I asked curiously, were they all old?

'''Bout twenty or so of us'' He shurgged.

''C'mon you must be starving'' He reached out to help me off the matress, in... what looked like to be an R.V maybe? That made me smile, my dad used to have a R.V and we'd go travelling every summer. I had to hold back tears when I thought of my family. I glanced down at the ring on my finger before quickly looking away, I couldn't think of him, if I did I knew I'd break down.

''Maya, wheres Maya?'' the desperation in my voice even suprised me, but I needed that dog like I needed air, she kept me alive, sending me warning growls whenever she heard one coming, even going as far as to attack them for me.

''Who's Maya? Sister?'' Dale asked kindly

''My dog, she kept me alive'' I faced him, tears twinkling in my eyes, he gave me a strange look, obviously thinking I was a lunatic for keeping a dog when the world went to shit.

''Oh, what breed?'' he asked trying to keep me calm with conversation.

''Cocker Spaniel, she's beautiful, cream fur, ridiculous though, she'll bark at you for an hour just so you'll give her fuss'' I laughed shaking my head.

''Don't worry, she'll come back'' he patted me on the back reassuringly, but it didn't reassure me at all, he probably wanted me to shut up.

We stepped out of the R.V and I was suprised to see it was night when I stepped out of what I now know to be an R.V, how long had I been out? hours? days?

I could see a two fires, one had a large group of people around it and the other had a small family by it, I decided it was best to follow Dale.

As I sat down I noticed that they were all staring curiously at me, I blushed and quickly looked away.

''There you go, get that down you'' Dale said as he passed me a plate of beans. It wasn't much but I was starving and much to my dismay my stomach grumbled loudly, a few people chuckled and I blushed even harder, and I was greatful they couldn't see that due to the darkness.

''So, what's your name?' a petite blonde that was clutching onto another blonde women, that I assmued was her sister, spoke gently after I had shuveled down the beans.

''Grace'' I said back timidly, aware of everyones gaze. The younger blondes eyes lit up.

''Cool, that was my best friends name, my names Amy and this is my sister, Andrea'' she said eccentrically, I could tell she was a child at heart and to be honest so was I even at the age of 27 I still loved all things pink and cuddly.

We all got introduced and I couldn't help but notice that the curly black haired man, Shane, kept his eyes firmly on Lori and Rick, that were cluchting at each other and their son, Carl. I couldn't help but feel confused, why was he staring a them so sadly, with a guilty look on his face. Then Rick told everyone his story and it clicked when he said he was grateful for Shane looking after his family, the look on Shane's face was a haunted one and Lori looked down in shame, she'd obviously been seeking comfort from her saviour when she thought her husband was dead, honestly I couldn't blame her, she was scared and needed someone to protect her and her family.

I was knocked out of my day dreaming when Shane suddenly stood up and stormed towards the other family by the seperate family, Carol, Sophia and Ed? I think.

Shane walked up to Ed with an intimidating look on his face and whispered

''Do you really wanna have this conversation?'' I could barely hear what he said since he whispered so quietly but I could clearly hear the threat in his voice, it seemed like Ed did too for he got Carol to do his work for him. Asshole. Shane knelt down too Sophia and Carol and asked if they were okay. Carol seemed like a proud woman and was clearly up tight about something but I shrugged it off as nothing .Everyone started to pack up, I however, stayed seated not really knowing where to go and wanting to wait incase Maya came.

''Hey Abs, you can come share the room in the R.V with me if you want, of course'' The asian kid, called Glenn offered stumbling over his words, I liked Glenn he was adorable.

''Sure, thanks Glenn'' I said hesitantly, she'd find me she's done it plently of times before, but it didn't stop me from worrying. I gave Glenn a soft smile before tumbling after him into Dales R.V, I was asleep before my head even hit the mattress.

What d'ya think? Should I continue it? I've never had a girly character before, it's kinda new but I kinda like it, hopefully I won't get bored of it.

Picture of Grace on the side, I adore Claire Holt

And this is her outfit- fly_away/set?id=91477325

I had to put an animal in there, the dog is based on my dog a cream, English Cocker Spaniel called Mia and she really does bark at you until you give her fuss, but she's adorable.


	2. Chapter 2- Part 1

_**Disclaimer- I do NOT own The Walking Dead, although I wish I did.**_

_**I don't usually have girlish, weak characters but I wanted her to be the opposite of Daryl and wanted her to start off her and Daryl not liking eacht other to give the story character, instead of her instantly falling for him, she also has issues so the ''romance'' might be off at a slow start. but hopefully they'll have lots of banter.**_

''Fuck'' I groaned into my pillow, what the hell is that noise? It sounded like... barking? It took me a minute to realise what that meant.

''Maya!'' I yelled, leaping off the mattress, sprinting toward forest ignoring the burning of my legs. I ran even faster at the sound of children screaming that soon followed, I hesitated slightly, when realising I didn't have any weapons to protect me or Sophia and Carl with. I turned to see Lori and Carol close on my tail, screaming right with me.

''Maya!'' I screamed, catching sight of the creamy, ball of fur, I released a long breath of relief shaking my head slighty, I was so thankful she wasn't dead. I quickly patted her on the head and grabbed her by her blue collar, turning her in the direction to run with me, by this point we were nearer to the schreeching and Carol, Lori and a few others had caught up with me but I soon past them due to being the fastest runner.  
''C'mon girl'' I called to Maya willing her to go faster, I kept pushing myself even though my calves felt like pins were jabbing through my skin over and over again, I wouldn't have Sophia and Carl's death on my concious.

I finally reached them when they came stumbling out from the bushes, sniffling to them selves. I silently gestured them to get behind me and they ran back into their mothers arms as I stalked on, careful to not make any noise, to find what had got them so startled. I was almost sick at the sight, an infected was on it's knees munching on a deer like it was a hamburger, guts spewing out of it's mouth as it ravenously tore it apart, It was sad to think that, that once beautiful deer had to die a gruesome death like this, it didn't deserve it, no one did.  
I looked back over my shoulder to see if the rest of the group knew what was going on, I didn't have a weapon so I wouldn't be much helpputting it down.

Grimacing, I turned back to see the walking corpse, seemingly, hadn't noticed our arrival yet, obviously too occupied chewing down on the deer, that for the first time I noticed it had arrows sticking out of it's body, who could of done that? Is there more suvivours? The thought of more people gave me a slight thrill, it was nice to know you weren't on your own in a world as crazy as this.  
Rick, Shane, Glenn, Dale, Morales, and T-Dog had formed themselves in a circle around the spectacle when the carcass climbed to his feet, eventually noticing that fresh meat had come along, and heading for Rick, when he smacked it across the face with the bud of his gun, sending it stumbling toward Shane, who in turn hit it in the head with his gun, making it fall to the ground.

The whole circle had joined in savagely beating the rotting body with their choice of weapons. The sight made me slightly sick, is this who we are now? Beating unmercifully on what used to be a person, he could of had a family, this could of been someones son, father or brother, maybe all of the above. Thankfully, Dale swung his axe and decapitated it's head from it's body. I almost doubled over and had to put a hand over my mouth to swallow the bile rising in my throat.  
''That's the first we've had up here'' Dale informed the group in disbelief, taking his hat off to remove the sewat on his forehead.

''They're running out of food in the city'' Glenn stated.  
''That's where I came from, it's completely taken over'' I added timidly and they nodded already knowing Atlanta was a dead end.  
A rustling sounded from from the bushes and everyone tensed, ready for another infected to come through at hearing the noises we had made. Suprisingly, a rugged man emerged with sandy blonde hair, that was covered in dirt and grime, matched with icy blue hues and crossbow in hand, was this the survivor? The thought made me giddy, if he made it out alive on his own, maybe my family had too. But his facial expression confused me, it was uninviting and looked slightly suprised, but not at there being suvivors, he looked fimilarised with the group but suprised to see them here. If he was part of the group, why wasn't he at the fire last night?

His eyes narrowed in distrust when he noticed me and Rick standing next to the group and I tried to give him my most friendliest smile, but probably came out more of a grimace, he was just so damn intimidating, he shook his had and carried on forward. He stopped dead in his tracks when he noticed the deer, half eaten on the ground.  
''Son of a bitch! This is my deer! Look at it, all gnawed on by this filthy... disease bearing... motherless... poxy... piece of shit'' He growled in his thick southern accent, taking his frustration out on the headless body by kicking at it as hard as he could. I was suprised, I expected his voice to be deeper, like so deep it was almost incoherent.

''Calm down son, that's not helping'' Dale interrupted the mans ranting softly, with disaproving eyes. I was shocked that they had let someone like him in their group, he was an aggressive red neck.  
''What do you know 'bout it old man? Why don't you take that stupid hat off and go back to ''On Golden Pond''?'' He stormed towards Dale in rage, sending him a deathly glare till Dale backed off. I glared at him, wanting so badly to punch him in the face, who was he to talk to Dale like that? I wasn't even sure what ''On Golden Pond'' was but i'm betting it wasn't meant as a compliment. Whatever happened to respecting your elders? Asshole.


End file.
